Cupcakes and cash pour in for Kerala
CHILDREN, SCHOOLS, CORPORATES AND THE UAE COMMUNITY CONTINUE TO DO THEIR BIT FOR FLOOD RELIEF EFFORTS
■
Two young sisters in Dubai baked and sold cupcakes in their community for a week to raise funds for the flood-hit southern Indian state of Kerala.
From children like these to several other students and teachers in Dubai, schools and businesses here continue to do their bit to support and rebuild Kerala which had witnessed massive destruction of properties and about 450 deaths due to floods last month.
Krishaana, 9 and Miraaya Rajagopalan, 7, studying in grades five and two respectively at the Safa Community School, took it upon themselves to lend a helping hand to flood victims in their own little way.
When their parents sent money to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, the girls wished to do something on their own and came up with the idea of selling cupcakes, said their mother Megha Kapur.
She said the girls baked and sold over 175 cupcakes after visiting more than a hundred households over a seven day period during their summer holidays.
“People generously contributed and they ended up collecting Dh3,000 (close to Rs58,000), which, while not a substantial amount, will certainly go some way in helping those affected by the floods,” said their father Nitin Rajagopal, whose extended family lives in Kerala.
Meanwhile, students and staff at The Kindergarten Starters are making a huge collection of relief materials which will be sent through the UAE Red Crescent.
School drive
The school is running a weeklong drive to collect steel plates and glasses, cooking utensils, sleeping mats, blankets, rice, coconut oil, pulses, spice powders, toothpaste, toothbrushes, detergents, sanitary gloves and canned food. The donation will be dispatched to the Red Crescent on Saturday, according to the principal Asha Alexander.
Delhi Private School in Dubai also conducted an initiative titled “De-clutter for a Cause,” to support its staff who had lost their possessions in the floods.
Staff members generously contributed new or unused articles from their homes having a minimum value of atleast Dh50.
“It is important that our teachers feel bonded and realise that they are not alone — we are there for each other when ■ things get tough,” said Rashmi Nandkeolyar, the school principal.
“The best part of this exercise was that it was twice blessed — the ones who gave were as joyous as the ones who received.”
DPS teachers will also mark Indian Teachers’ Day today by donating cash to bring relief to the Kerala flood victims. ■